


Take me home, where I’m safe

by yogini



Series: The Babysitter Chronicles [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adopted Children, Anger Management, Babysitter!Stiles, Bullying, Dad!Derek, Family, Full Shift Werewolves, Grown up Derek, M/M, Parent-Child Relationship, Responsible Derek, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Unintentional nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 10:57:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3526703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Okay, now I definitely know something’s up” Stiles said suspiciously. “Come on, Big Bad, tell me.”<br/>“It’ Laura” Derek said and would have continued if it wasn’t for the ‘Oh my god, how is she?’, ‘What happened?’, ‘Is she okay?’ and ‘What can I do?’ that burst from Stiles lips in a mad jumble. He waited patiently until Stiles ran out of breath, which took quite a while, and then explained.<br/>“They called from her school, said something happened and that she was sad and wondered if I could take her home, but I have a fucking meeting that I can’t fucking reschedule and I was wondering if…”<br/>“Bring her here” </p><p>or</p><p>Laura has a bad experience in school and Stiles saves the day while Derek thinks that he’s a bad parent…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sad but safe

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Teen Wolf or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

“Hello, could I talk to Mr Hale, please?” Derek didn’t recognize the voice on the phone and instinctually sat up straighter.

“Speaking.” He got up and closed the door to his office to get some privacy. “Who is this?”

“Oh, sorry, my name is Amy and I work as a teacher’s assistant at your daughter’s school” the woman explained. “I was wondering if you had the possibility to come pick her up? Something happened at recess and Laura’s a bit upset. She won’t tell me what happened but I think that she’ll feel better being at home for the rest of the day.” Derek was already halfway out the door.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes” he barked out before disconnecting the call. “Fuck!” he then yelled, kicking a nearby post box, and received a scalding look of disapproval from an elderly woman passing by. He didn’t pay her much attention as he suddenly remembered that he had a board meeting that very afternoon. A board meeting that he’d already rescheduled because of Laura. Twice.

“Fucking hell!” The elderly lady went from a look of disapproval to being positively appalled by his behaviour and Derek tried to give her a smile to show that he really wasn’t all that bad. It must have come out as a weird sort of grimace though, because the lady pursed her lips and hurried away. He sighed and got in the car.

 

“Pick up, pick up, pick up” Derek murmured as a mantra as he thrummed the fingers against the steering wheel.

“Duuuuude, whazzup?” Trust Stiles not to answer his phone like a normal person Derek thought annoyed.

“For the love of… Don’t fucking call me dude, Stiles or I swear to god, I’ll…”

“Rip my throat out with your teeth, yep. You do realize that it’s been years since that threat was effective right?” Stiles asked. Derek suddenly felt ashamed of himself.

“Sorry” he said sheepishly and heard Stiles all but jump in surprise on the other end of the line.

“Okay, now I definitely know something’s up” he said suspiciously. “Come on, Big Bad, tell me.”

“It’ Laura” Derek said and would have continued if it wasn’t for the ‘Oh my god, how is she?’, ‘What happened?’, ‘Is she okay?’ and ‘What can I do?’ that burst from Stiles lips in a mad jumble. He waited patiently until Stiles ran out of breath, which took quite a while, and then explained.

“They called from her school, said something happened and that she was sad and wondered if I could take her home, but I have a fucking meeting that I can’t fucking reschedule and I was wondering if…”

“Bring her here” Stiles simply interrupted and Derek sagged in relief. “I might need to work a bit from home but I’ll just set her up with a movie or something.”

“You sure that’s you’ll be okay though? I mean…”

“Derek, I’m fine” Stiles interrupted. “It’s been _two weeks_ since I left the hospital, get over it. All of you need to get over it in fact, I’m getting crazy being babied by the whole pack. So just take her here, we’ll be fine.”

“Thank you, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“No worries, man.”

 

Although he tried, Derek couldn’t persuade Laura to tell him what was wrong and he didn’t want to pressure her too much either. He just hoped that, if given a bit of time, she would talk to him about it and trust that he’d do everything in his power to help her. For now, he contented himself with hugging her tightly, playing her favourite music in the car on the way to Stiles and stopping at the diner to buy a strawberry milkshake (Laura’s favourite) and curly fries (the number one love of Stiles’ life beside Lydia). It brought a small smile to Laura’s face and it was the least he could do to thank Stiles for helping out on such short notice.

 

He dropped Laura off with the milkshake and fries in tow and barely had the time to say hello to Stiles before he had to floor it to make it back to the office in time. The meeting seemed to go on forever and afterwards he couldn’t even remember what he’d said, what they’d discussed. He’d ask someone about it in the morning but first he needed to take care of his daughter. Out of habit he listened for Laura’s heartbeat as soon as he got closer to the house and to his relief it was relaxed and steady, she was asleep.

 

He decided against knocking on the door to avoid waking his daughter and instead let him in using Stiles’ spare key. When he tiptoed into the house he listened for Stiles’ heartbeats as well and he soon found them, accompanied by the soft clattering of fingers against a keyboard. Stiles was working, computer on his lap and feet propped up on the low coffee table, and beside him was Laura, fast asleep and rolled up like a small burrito in a blanket and one of Stiles’ hoodies. Stiles seemed to sense Derek’s presence because he looked up from the screen and smiled as he motioned the other man to join them on the couch.

“She’s been crying a little” Stiles explained quietly. “I think that tired her out because she fell asleep in the middle of the movie.” Derek looked pained and stroked a hand slowly over her hair. Laura mumbled something in her sleep and leaned into the touch but she didn’t wake up.

“Has she… uh…” Derek paused to clear his throat. It felt like a failure that his daughter hadn’t wanted to confide in him and he didn’t want to ask Stiles and find out that Laura had talked to him, but on the other hand he really wanted to know what had happened. So he decided to ask anyway. “Has she told you what happened at school?” Stiles nodded carefully. He needed to tell Derek carefully so that the werewolf didn’t get to upset.

“I don’t think she really wanted to tell me, it just happened anyway” he answered. “But apparently some kids at school have been teasing her about being adopted.”

“What?” Derek exploded, waking Laura up with a start. “Sorry, pup, didn’t mean to startle you. Why don’t you go back to sleep?” he suggested, looking slightly sheepish.

“ ‘m wanna be with you” Laura mumbled sleepily and put her arms around Derek’s neck, demanding hugs and cuddles and Derek happily complied, at least until he realized that the noseful he’d gotten of Stiles’ shirt had set off a pleased rumbling and that the noise actually came from his own chest. It was embarrassing how easily he was affected by Stiles’ scent and he willed himself to stop immediately.

“So” Derek said carefully. “Stiles said that you guys talked about what happened today. Would you like to talk to me about it as well?” Laura tensed up and shook her head and Derek couldn’t help but feel his heart sink. His daughter didn’t trust him. “It’s okay, pup, it’s okay” he said, more for his own consolation than hers. He looked up to see Stiles looking at him with a worried expression and quickly got to his feet.

“You’re going home?” Stiles asked. “I could order us some dinner if you want to stay?” Derek shook his head.

“No, thank you, I think we’d better head home” he answered and put the blanket back on the couch. “Laura, darling, you’ll have to give Stiles his shirt back” he continued, tugging lightly in the hem.

“No, don’t wanna” she murmured and tried to bat his hands away.

“It’s ok” Stiles said. “She can borrow it for a little while.”

 

As Derek drove off and watched a smiling Laura wave goodbye to Stiles he had the feeling that he was the worst dad ever. Why wouldn’t she talk to him?


	2. A real daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, yeah” Stiles sat up straighter. “Right. So, about what happened the other night” he started lightly. “I meant what I said, I don’t think that Laura meant to tell me why she was upset, it just happened.”   
> “Okay” Derek spat out through gritted teeth and carefully placed the sad remains of what had been a fork seconds earlier on the table. Stiles swallowed nervously as he looked at the twisted piece of metal.   
> “I mean it, Derek” he then continued, softer. “She didn’t want to tell you, didn’t want to tell anyone, but not because she doesn’t love you. Never think that.”  
> “What am I supposed to think then?” Derek asked, not looking like he was going to calm down anytime soon. Stiles rubbed a hand over his head and sighed, slumped over the table.   
> “Fuck, this is just… Oh, well” He sat up again. “I promised her not to tell you but I think you need to hear this."
> 
> or
> 
> The trouble in school finally gets an explanation and maybe Derek isn’t the world’s worst dad after all…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Teen Wolf or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

Derek kept re-reading the text message for the millionth time and still couldn’t relax. What did Stiles want? Why couldn’t he just call like a normal person? Why did he say he wanted to talk but didn’t specify about what? And why on earth did he use a million fucking smileys? Derek paced around his office the whole morning before quickly typing a reply and the sending it before he changed his mind again. Why was he making such a big deal out of this? It was just a lunch. With Stiles. Who needed to talk to him. About something important. So, no big deal at all.

 

Even on his way to the diner where they’d agreed to meet Derek still debated whether or not this was a good idea. He still he strongly felt the jealous urge to rip Stiles throat out because apparently his daughter liked Stiles better than him. There was also another part of him that wanted to do other things to that throat, mainly kiss, lick, nuzzle, mark and bite. (That part also had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the red hoodie that Laura had borrowed somehow had ended up in Derek’s bed. Absolutely nothing at all.) Finally there was this boring, mature part of him that told him to just get a grip and go see Stiles for lunch, without either killing him or bending him over a table (or a countertop or a desk or actually finding a bed, Derek wasn’t all that picky. Either option was more than fine).

 

After a battle of wills the boring, mature side of him emerged victorious and he found himself sitting at a table with Stiles, and doing nothing that could land him in jail for either homicide or indecent exposure. While his mature self congratulated himself for a wise choice, Derek deeply regretted it as soon as the food arrived. Sitting across from a hungry Stile eating curly fries was torture. Some of the sounds that came out of his mouth were downright pornographic and Derek seriously doubted that the zip of his pants would take the strain much longer. Just as he contemplated excusing himself to go to the bathroom and then flee through a window Stiles sighed and slumped back in his seat.

“Oh, man” he groaned. “I was so hungry, seriously, I could’ve eaten a horse. Or maybe an elephant, there simply _must_ be more meat on those. But that would actually be really bad taste, you know, since elephants are considered holy. But then again, so are cows and you don’t really…”

“Stiles!” Derek interrupted, efficiently cutting of the other man’s rambling. “You wanted to talk about something?” He viciously stabbed at a piece of tomato on his plate, like the vegetable was to blame for the fact that he was a bad parent. Or the fact that he apparently was horny enough to get turned on by incoherent ramblings about animals.

“Oh, yeah” Stiles sat up straighter. “Right. So, about what happened the other night” he started lightly. “I meant what I said, I don’t think that Laura meant to tell me why she was upset, it just happened.”

“Okay” Derek spat out through gritted teeth and carefully placed the sad remains of what had been a fork seconds earlier on the table. Stiles swallowed nervously as he looked at the twisted piece of metal.

“I mean it, Derek” he then continued, softer. “She didn’t want to tell you, didn’t want to tell _anyone_ , but not because she doesn’t love you. Never think that.”

“What am I supposed to think then?” Derek asked, not looking like he was going to calm down anytime soon. Stiles rubbed a hand over his head and sighed, slumped over the table.

“Fuck, this is just… Oh, well” He sat up again. “I promised her not to tell you but I think you need to hear this. They made cards in school for Father’s Day and some kids were mean to Laura, saying that she didn’t have a daddy, that her real parents didn’t want her, that kind of stuff.” Stiles risked a glance at Derek and was not surprised to see that his eyes were flickering between green and red, barely reining himself in enough to not wolf out in front of the whole diner.

“When we watched TV later there was this commercial about presents for Father’s Day and she started crying and it all just came tumbling out, you know. And then afterwards she made me promise not to tell you because she didn’t want you to be upset.” Derek didn’t say anything and Stiles hesitantly reached over the table to lightly place a hand on Derek’s arm.

“Derek?” The werewolf clenched his hands so hard that blood started seeping through his fingers and Stiles hastily threw some money on the table and stood up. “Okay, let’s get you out of here” he murmured and all but dragged Derek to the door. Quickly he got both of them into the Jeep, drove off to the preserve, opened the door and proceeded to watch as Derek shifted and turned into a one man hurricane, tearing through the woods and destroying everything in his path.

 

About an hour later when Derek had calmed down, or rather worn himself out to the point where he didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore, Stiles trudged along the path of uprooted trees and splinters and found the werewolf lying on his back on the ground, panting and staring into space. Naked. Completely buck naked.

“Um, Derek?” Stiles hesitant question had the werewolf cursing loudly and rolling over on his stomach. How the hell could he have forgotten Stiles? And where the fuck were his clothes? When had he even gone into his full shift? And when had he shifted back?

“Yes?” he croaked mortified as he tried to cover himself.

“Here” Stiles said, pulling his shirt over his head and handing it to him. It was too small but the least it covered him partially and Derek was grateful. “I think I saw your pants on the way here” Stiles added, eyes still averted to allow the werewolf some modesty and the pair of them made it back to the car in silence.

 

“So” Stiles said as they got closer to Beacon Hills again. “What are you going to do?”

“Kill the little brats was my first thought” Derek growled before he leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes tiredly. “Now that I’ve done some anger management therapy I’m thinking talk to their parents maybe?” Stiles snorted beside him.

“Dude!” He cast a sideways glance at Derek. “You’ve grown up! A couple of years ago you would have killed _both_ the kids and the parents. Or at least scared the hell out of them.”

“Don’t tell me about it” Derek sighed. “I feel old.” Stiles grinned.

“I’m so proud of you” Stiles said mock-seriously, one hand over his heart and the other one wiping a fake tear away. “Our little Derek has become an adult.” He sniffed and then ducked as Derek tried to cuff him over the head.

“Oi! Trying to drive here!”

“Shut up, Stiles.”

 

Stiles pulled up outside the loft and turned the engine off.

“Seriously, will you be okay?” he asked and Derek nodded.

“Yeah, it was a bit scary to lose control like that but… I feel fine now. And I’m going to deal with those idiots. Nicely. In a grown up, _adult_ way” he emphasised and Stiles gave him double thumbs up for that. “But first I’m going to tell Laura all the hundreds of reason that I am in fact her real daddy.”

“Good plan, dude” Stiles said and ignored the way Derek rolled his eyes. “But you might want to put some pants on first.” Derek blushed furiously when he remembered that the only piece of clothing that was not ripped to pieces was the blue button down that he was currently wearing as a makeshift skirt. He hurried into his apartment to the sound of Stiles’ laughter.


End file.
